S. Caras Galadhon loc. “City of the Trees”
Name of the city of Lórien (LotR/355), translated “City of the Trees” (LotR/353). This name is an adaptation of Nan. Caras Galadon of the same meaning (LotR/1127), replacing Nan. galad “tree” with S. galadh. In pure Sindarin, it would S. Caras i-Ngelaidh (PE17/60). Its initial element is S. (or Nan.) caras “moated fort” and its final element has the Nandorin genitive plural suffix -on.
Conceptual Development: In Lord of the Rings drafts from the 1940s and in the 1st edition of The Lord of the Rings, this name appeared as N. Caras Galadon (TI/245, RC/311). In between the 1st and 2nd editions, Tolkien became disatisified with this name, which was clearly different from S. galadh “tree”. In his Words, Phrases and Passages from the Lord of the Rings from the late 1950s or early 1960s, Tolkien considered changing the meaning of this name so that it, like Galadriel had nothing to do with trees (PE17/84). Ultimately, though, he decided that the form Caras Galadon was Nandorin (PE17/60), and changed the name to its Sindarized form in the 2nd edition of The Lord of the Rings.
References ✧ Let/426; LotR/1127; LotRI/Caras Galadhon, City of the Galadrim; NM/351; PE17/84; RC/311; SA/alda; UT/267; UTI/Caras Galadhon
Glosses
Variations
Elements
| caras | “city, fort or dwelling surrounded by bulwarks, circular earthwall with dike” | ✧ RC/311 | |
| galadh | “tree” | ✧ Let/426; NM/352 (galað); SA/alda; UT/267 | |
| Nan. caras | “a moated fort” | ✧ NM/351 | |
| Nan. -a | “adjectival/genitival” | plural | ✧ NM/351 (-on) |
| galad | “radiance, glittering reflection; light, fire, brightness, shining; bliss” | ✧ PE17/84 | |
N. Caras Galadon loc.
References ✧ LRI/Caras Galadon; TI/245; TII/Caras Galadon
Elements
| caras | “a city (built above ground)” |
| galadh? | “tree” |
Nan. Caras Galadon loc.
References ✧ PE17/60, 84; PM/36; PMI/Caras Galadon
Variations
Related
Elements
| galad | “tree” | genitive plural | ✧ PE17/60 (Galadon) |
Cognates
Derivations